Ignition trouble-finder.



Wmme@ F. T. CABLE.

IGNITION TROUBLE FINDER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5, 1909.

953,776, v Patented Apr. 5, 1910.

FRANK' T. CABLE, 0F QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS.

IGNITION TROUBLE-FINDER'.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 5, 1910.

Application led August 5, 1909. Serial No. 511,337;

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK T. CABLE, a citizen of the United States, residin in Quincy, in the county of Norfolk andl tate of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ignition Trouble-Finders, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is to provide a device for locating faults or short circuiting in the ignition circuits of internal combustion engines and especially for indicating whether or not the spark plug- 1s short circuited by carbonization or otherwise so as to prevent the formation of a proper spark between the plug terminals or across the spark gap.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated which shall be simple, cheap and of convenient form and size to be carried about and form part of the regular equipment of accessories for every engine. A

With the above objects in view the invention consists lprimarily in an insulatin body of material which ,may be graspe without danger of shock from the ignition circuit and carrying a conductorhaving terminals so located as to be. conveniently brought into contact with opposite circuit connections of the igniter, said conductor having at some point 1n its length, visible to the user, a short spark gap.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the insulatin body is in the form of a curved glass tu e having thick Walls with an iron conductor sealed in the same With its -ends slightly protruding and having a shortspark gap at some point intermediate the ends.

The accompanying drawing is a view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In this drawing the letter A indicates the insulating body, which in this instance is of glass tubing curved so that the two ends B B will project in the same direction, the arm B being made somewhat shorter than the arm B whereby the ends may be brought into proximity to or against the ends of the igniter .and engine head or ground respectlvely '1n a most convenient mannen A conductor C is sealed in the ends of the l tube with its ends slightly protruding to form terminals and having at one point in 1ts length, preferably at a point within the longer arm of the tube, a spark gap D which may be appropriately 1/64 linch in length. l

In use the device is held in the hand and the terminals brought into position to bridge the i niter or be in multiple therewith, when 1f the current is flowing properly between the electrodes'- of the plug spark gap, a tine spark will be-seen at the gap D. (hilf-thc other hand if the plug be carbonized and its spark gap short circuited, the resistance of the gap D will be so much greater,that no spark will be formed at D and it will at once be known that the trouble is in the spark plug.

With this device it is a simple matter to test all the plugs of a multiple cylinder engme 1n aimoment of time to locate any cylinder which may be missingre, and it is equally easy to tell if the trouble is in the plug or elsewhere.

While a glass body is preferred, it is obvious that other insulating material may be employed and if of opaque material the .spark gap will be exposed in any well known manner.

What I claim as new is 1. A portable ignition trouble finder for gas englne lgniters, comprising a tubular body of insulating 'materiah providing a handlel by which the device may be temp orarily held in operative position in malltiple with the igniter, and a conductor extending through said tubular body with its opposite ends exposed to form terminals which are shielded from the hand of the user by said insulating material, said conductor having a short spark gap between one of the terminals and the handle portion of the device.

2. A11 ignition trouble finder for gas en-` gine igniters, comprising a tubular body of insulating material bent to form a curved handle and having its ends projecting in substantially the same direction, and a conductor extending through said tubular body with its opposite ends exposed to form terminals, said conductor 'having a visible spark gap between one of the terminals and the curved or .handle portion of the device.

3. An ignition trouble finder for gasellgine igniters, embodying a tubular body of insulating material curved at an intermediate point and havin one end longer than the other, and a con uctor extending longitudinally through and held in said tubular body with its ends-only exposed, said conlos ductor having a visible sparkV gap adjacent to one of its ends across which a s ark passes- When the nderis placed in mu tiple with multiple with the igniter.

the igniter.' In Atestimony whereof, I have hereunto 5 4. An ignition trouble finder for gas ensubscribed my name'.

gine igniters, comprising a trans arent glass jacent one end of the device across which a spark passes When the finder is placed in body, curved and having one end onger than FRANK T' CABLE the other, a conductor sealed in sald bod),7 Witnesses: with its ends'exposed, and a short s ark ga I F. L. BRAKE,

10 in said conductor Within the glass ody aff C. W. SHERBURNE. 

